Seoul Fashion Week FW15: K-trends seen on the runway – Part 1
updated the 6 October 2015 à 23:15
Asia’s most exciting fashion week ended on a high note last week – and left us with many trend inspirations to look forward to next winter. Here’s our roundup.
Korea never fails to inspire us when it comes to everything fashion and beauty. While the four biggest international fashion weeks set the ‘mainstream’ trends of the season, Seoul Fashion Week (SFW) offers a slightly alternative – and may we say – exciting direction.
As the Fall/Winter 2015 edition of the SFW took place between 20 and 25 March, we followed all the action from the front row and noted down all those K-trends which we’ll surely be crazy about next season.
Veteran and new designers brought their individual unique styles to the runways yet there was still some synergy in terms of trends which we spotted on multiple shows last week.
As seen in New York and Paris – the 70’s continued to inspire designers even in Korea where they added their own twist on it. 90’s-inspired streetwear – which is very popular in Korea – was also seen extensively on the catwalk as was expected.
From furry and oversized outerwear to edgy prints and cuts – here’s a roundup of the trends which were popular on the catwalks in Seoul. Take note for the next time you hop to K-land on a shopping trip, these are the must-have items
The oversized collar
Remember those massive jacket lapels John Travolta wore in Saturday Night Fever? Well, it seems they’re back in fashion! But before you cringe – you must know that they’re back in an updated and sophisticated way, better than we’ve ever seen them before. Korean label S=YZ managed to make a yellow leather jacket with massive lapels look cool while others like Nohke, Jain Song and Cres. E Dim took a more understated and chic approach to the trend. Andy & Debb on the other hand incorporated the oversized collar to their moon-themed collection by giving a silver parka the fur collar treatment.
The fur coat
Fur was every where to be seen at Seoul and judging by the winter plunging temperatures there, it is justified. However, Korean designers have managed to make the somehow classic fur coat a bit more edgy by playing with unusual cuts and colours. Arche and Le Doii led the way with maxi versions that looked stylish and snugly, but our favourite version was a chic belted red coat from Lie SangBong. Simply divine.
The knitted maxi dress
When it comes to Korean designers, comfort always comes high on their list of things to consider when creating a look. This was especially obvious this season as there were plenty of loose-fit clothes and knits on show. One staple which stood out is the maxi knitted dress which we saw at various shows like WNDERKAMMER, Arche, Sumisumi and Cres. E Dim. Who said comfort and style can’t go hand in hand?
One shade of grey
We’ve been seeing a lot of grey on the runway lately and at Seoul Fashion Week it was no different. Models strutted the runway in head-to-toe grey ensembles which concentrated on creative cuts and layering. While Big Park showed a stunning statement grey dress tailored to perfection in a trumpet cut, more casual and layered full-on grey looks were also spotted on Nohke, How & What and J Apotrophe – none of which needed a pop of colour to stand out.
Statement prints
Although it was a Fall/ Winter show, a few designers incorporated prints into their collections, all of which had interesting stories behind them. Kaal E. Suktae took literal inspiration from popular Korean cartoon Dooly to create some statement pieces which we were left drooling over. A more serious and monochromatic approach to prints was seen at Lie SangBong‘s show – where his collection ‘Oriental Ink‘ was inspired by calligraphy – and PartspARTs who played on geometric shapes in their usual avant-garde manner. The most standout print, however, was the playful hounds-tooth cum cat print at quirky label pushBUTTON which we can’t wait to get our hands on this season. Simply adorable!
Cropped pants
As a continuation from last year, Korean designers seemed fond of the flared cropped pants which were spotted on almost every show at Seoul Fashion Week. But this season there were more options present: white leather and printed versions at LIE, red lace ones at Lie SangBong, and even a casual cotton version at Sumisumi. Whether teamed with knee-length coats, comfy knitted cardigans and even layered over tights – this is one trend we reckon we’ll be rocking for a few seasons to come.
Rana Wehbe
Photos: Seoul Fashion Week
Read more:
Seoul Fashion Week FW15: K-trends seen on the runway – Part 2
